What do we do about gun violence?

Sunday

Oct 27, 2013 at 8:01 PM

David Farr

I read an article over the weekend that said that some 500 children and teenagers on average die each year in American hospitals as a result of gun shot wounds. That is staggering to me. I find this news to be disturbing.

Furthermore, the article goes on to say that nearly 7,500 kids are brought to emergency rooms a year in U.S hospitals from being shot by guns. What gives? This is to be an 80 percent increase from just 1997.

Eight out of every 10 firearm wounds came from handguns. Researchers indicate that despite semi-automatic weapons sales increases, the spike in gun wounds are from handguns.

The research pointed out that the majority of states with higher recorded homes with firearm possession, saw higher gun wounds, too.

Some of these incidents could be accidental, however the figures are still staggering and uncalled for in my eyes. Some of the children fatalities stem from children who find parent’s loaded guns under the bed or in a closet.

I can’t believe that I just typed that so casually – what kind of parent leaves a loaded a gun just lying around? They simply didn’t have a dad like mine. Respect and care was always given to and around guns. He was a hunter but his guns and ammunition were never left out in the open.

Gun advocates aren’t denying the claims found in the article. In fact, they’re more in favor of policies that reduce the number of household firearms, particularly handguns, instead of focusing on military-like assault weapons the article said.

The topic of gun control is one that won’t be going away anytime soon. What do you believe should be done to curtail gun violence in this country?